Enchanted
by xthesebonesx
Summary: Post-3x22. Bonnie is confused, agitated, and scared when her eyes shoot open, & Elijah is the first person she sees before her. Desperate for answers, she tries to recollect her memory, and Elijah is forced to confess to his decision that brought them here. But what happens when Bonnie realizes that the choice she must now make is the one between life and death? Two Shot.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, guys! So I got a tumblr request for another Bonlijah fic, and obviously, i could not pass this up. I've grown to love the idea of this pairing so much, and any chance I get, I will be doing one shots for them. It also doesn't help that I saw Mr. Gillies himself, at a TVD con recently, because now all of my feels for him have been directly translated into my writing, LOL, woops! :) Anyway, this is JUST a two shot, set sometime after 3x22, and I hope you all enjoy it. Happy reading! ;)**

**Enchanted**

"_There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles  
Same old tired lonely place  
Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy  
Vanished when I saw your face  
All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you  
Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"  
Across the room your silhouettes tarts to make its way to me  
The playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks  
Like passing notes in secrecy  
And it was enchanting to meet you  
All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you"_

_-Taylor Swift_

Bonnie groaned lowly, as she lay there- feeling strangely paralyzed, and unbearably weakened- with eyes tightly shut, and her head against a soft pillow.

Her neck was sore, as was the rest of her body, as she slowly began to awake from the deep slumber that she didn't actually remember taking.

She shifted against, what felt like, a mattress beneath her, when her olive eyes finally shot open to the scene before her, and a loud gasp escaped from her dry throat.

She inhaled a deep breath as she surveyed the room; the champagne colored walls were freshly painted, and the shades for the window were completely shut; inhibiting her from being able to tell whether it was daytime or not.

She gulped gently when the unrecognizable bookshelf before settled into view, and she shook with confusion as she realized that mug sitting on the end table did not belong to her.

_This was not her bedroom; it wasn't a room that she remembered at all, actually, and she was honestly beginning to panic when she noticed that she had no recollection of how or why she got here._

Bonnie felt the beating in her chest quicken as she attempted to sit up, but she failed, falling hard with gravity against the pillow beneath her, thanks to her weakened state.

What the hell was going on? Why did she feel this way?

Strangely agitated, uncharacteristically confused; _why did she feel so out of control?_

"You've finally decided to grace me with your presence," she heard, and Bonnie snapped her head in fright as she turned to face the voice; her ears leading her to gaze at the visitor standing in the doorway, leisurely.

Bonnie tried to speak, but a word didn't escape her lips, as he approached her.

Slowly, but cautiously, he made his way over to bed, where he just stood there over her, all too quietly, for her liking.

His chestnut hair, and his charcoal eyes, intense and but soft, seemed to be studying her intently, as she looked at him with a dazed expression.

_He wasn't a stranger, but he wasn't somebody that she knew very well- over even wanted to, either. He was just as bad as the rest of them, as far as she was concerned, and the sooner she got the hell out of here, the better._

"Elijah," she muttered lowly, but the vampire seemed to be ignoring her, as he removed his black suit jacket, and began to roll up the sleeves to gray button-up.

She suddenly felt his smooth hands holding her face, as he looked into her eyes with such a deep concern, it made the nervousness in her stomach swell.

And when she was scared, it translated to anger.

"Where the hell am I?" she asked roughly, as she pushed his hands away, and finally sat up, though she had to use every bit of strength to do so. "Why are you here?"

Elijah's brows furrowed, but he remained silent for a second; taking in the sight of Bonnie Bennett as she sat fiercely before him.

Her green eyes were glowing, and her smooth brown skin was paler, as she attempted to sit bravely, though he could see the subtle shaking at her fingertips.

Being alone with him unnerved her, as it should've. After all, she couldn't exactly trust him.

When he vowed to kill Niklaus at the ritual, he chose to save him instead. When he needed Esther's power source to be cut off, he kidnapped Elena in hopes of persuading the Salvatores into finding a way to stop her.

_Bonnie's mother was killed._

So as she glared at him with a bit of rage behind his eyes, Elijah cleared his throat, and pulled up a chair, to sit right next to the bed. She was taken aback by the sudden close proximity of his body, but she never wavered.

She wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

"Where am I?" she repeated, in a firm tone. "Why am I not at home?"

"You are in my home, Bonnie... The one I share with my brothers, and Rebekah. You've been here before, haven't you?"

"Yeah, when Klaus kidnapped me," she shot back, and Elijah pursed his lips. "Why am I in your bed? And... why do I feel like this?"

Elijah folded his hands across his lap, and gazed at her quietly before responding.

"I... believe you know the answer to that, Miss Bennett. You... just have not let yourself believe it, yet."

"What the hell does that even mean? You think that I _know _why I'm here? That doesn't make any sense!"

"Surely it does, Bonnie," he replied. "Perhaps you need to dig a little deeper."

"Or maybe I need to go," she snapped back, as she forced herself out of the bed, and finally stood to her feet. Her knees felt like jelly, but she slowly regained her balance as she steadied herself, before standing up straight.

She glanced down at her attire, and became even more puzzled, as the vibrant colors began to soak into her eyes and awaken her senses.

"You're wearing Rebekah's clothes," he commented, and her brows rose. "Yours were... destroyed," Elijah added softly, as she ran her hands over the black sequined shirt, and then the smooth denim jeans.

"I'll be sure to send them back," she said roughly, as she neared the door, and Elijah was suddenly to his feet and blocking her escape. "Elijah-"

"It would not be wise for you to leave me, just yet," he countered. "At least not until you've made your choice."

Bonnie scoffed as she stared at him, and placed a hand on her hip. She didn't have time for this.

"What 'choice' are you talking about? The one where either I give you an aneurysm, or I set you on fire?" Bonnie asked, and he didn't budge. "You really think you that you can keep me here, Elijah? You must not who I am," she replied.

The Original licked his tongue across his teeth, and stepped in closer, causing a shiver to run down her spine when he looked her directly in the eyes.

"Show me, then, Bonnie," he challenged in a low tone. "Show me, if you truly believe you are aware of what you are."

Bonnie felt the ignite of fire in her bones, as he looked at her expectantly, and she immediately rose both palms before her, to generate the power that she needed to throw him out of the way.

Bonnie shut her eyes tightly, and Elijah just stood there, silently, as she began to mumble the words that she knew beneath her breath, with such conviction.

_But she felt nothing._

There was no buzzing at her fingertips, and no feeling in her heart; her veins felt empty, and she felt cold. She shot her eyes open, in surprise, to see Elijah still standing there, and willfully intact. Bonnie shifted uncomfortably, as his eyes met hers, again, in such an incredibly strong way.

"What happened to my magic?" she asked, as her voice grew with anger. "What the hell is going on, Elijah?" she asked as she attempted to push him, but he caught onto her wrists before that, immediately stopping the struggle that she wanted to start between them.

Bonnie breathed heavily, as he looked into her eyes, but he didn't say a word. She was growing impatient with the silent treatment, and if she didn't start getting some answers, she was going to cause hell.

"Why am I here with you?" she pressed, as her body began to shake. "Where are my friends?"

"Looking for you, perhaps," he said simply, and her brows furrowed.

"So, you kidnapped me""

"Not exactly," he answered. "I brought you here to make your decision, Miss Bennett. I wished to provide you with a bias-free environment; one where you wouldn't feel forced to make a choice that you did not wish to make."

"A choice about what? What the hell has happened to me?" she asked, and Elijah suddenly dropped her wrists, as she let them fall to her sides silently.

Elijah bit his lip quietly, and looked away for a moment, before glancing back at her. The calmness in his stare was beginning to frighten her, the longer she stood there, and he continuously sized her up, like she was Thanksgiving Dinner.

_Maybe she actually was._

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, and Elijah's eyes narrowed for a moment, before he sent her a sad smile that chilled her down to the bone.

"You're already dead, Bonnie," he said softly, and her breath got caught in her throat as the words passed his lips. "Now, the rest is up to you... the matter of whether you _survive, _or not, is entirely in your hands."

"Elijah- I don't understand. I-I can't be-"

"You are in transition, Bonnie," he said firmly, and her heart suddenly dropped. "You must... drink to complete it. You... have to drink to become a vampire. If you don't... I'm afraid your life will end here."

Bonnie stood there paralyzed, suddenly feeling dizzy from the information that rolled off of Elijah's lips, and onto her ears, as she stood there in shock at what he was saying.

_She was becoming a vampire? How did any of this make any sense?_

"No," she said softly, as she shook her head. "Elijah, you don't understand; I'm a witch- I'm not dead. I didn't die-"

"I watched it happen," Elijah cut in, and he watched as a sudden stream of tears began to fill her eyes. "And I tried to stop it... My blood is the reason that you're still standing here."

Bonnie cupped her hands over her mouth, and shook her head viciously, while her tears began to stream from her eyes.

"No," she stated. "I don't believe you-"

"The witches tried to kill you tonight, Bonnie," Elijah cut in, and her eyes widened. "Your memory may be shot right now, however, mine isn't. They were trying to end you. For saving Niklaus' life, perhaps- for saving the vampires you call your friends. I... had no other choice-"

"What does that mean?" she asked in a heated tone, as she attempted to wipe away her fast flowing tears. "What do you mean you had no other choice?"

"I mean that I had to make a decision, Bonnie; and I had to make rash one. I saw you, laying on the ground, with barely a breath left to your name, and I had to do something. It was... far too late to call any of the witches or warlocks that I know to help you, so I did the only thing I could do- I fed you my blood."

"Why didn't it heal me, then? Why did I die?" she asked, sternly, and he pursed his lips.

"You... don't recall a thing, now, do you?" Elijah responded, and Bonnie shook her head.

Elijah sighed, as he walked over to the bed, and sat down on it. Bonnie continued to stand there uncomfortably, but he motioned for her to have a seat beside him.

She did so, begrudgingly, though she held her arms tightly over her chest, and stared straight ahead, at the painting on the wall. She didn't want to look at him, at all; he was lucky she was even listening to him, at all.

Elijah sensed her hostility; he prepared himself for it, in fact, when the moment dawned on him that Bonnie was going to become a vampire, if she allowed the transition to happen, and she was going to be sired to _him._

He knew that the Bennett Witch would have nothing but harsh words and a sharp tongue once she realized what she was becoming. But he also anticipated her tears, too.

_In fact, he couldn't really blame her for them, either._

She had been a witch, formally; a servant to nature, sure, but also one of the greatest creatures to ever exist in the supernatural world. As a witch, she had great responsibility, but also great power, and she was the reason for the balance in all of their lives.

As a witch, she preserved life; she was connected to nature, and all of it's beings, by the thread of her soul, and the beating of her heart. As a witch, just her touch could bring anything to life; just her touch could make _anyone _feel alive.

Why would a witch ever willingly want to become a vampire, anyway? She was now the epitome of death.

"I believe your loss of memory can be attributed to the concussions you've suffered, tonight," Elijah finally said, and Bonnie frowned. "Your ancestors... they were trying to prevent you from doing a spell- one that called for quite a bit of dark magic, do you recall it?"

Bonnie swallowed hard as she shook her head, and Elijah folded his hands over his lap, as he turned to face her. She continued to evade his eyes.

It was too hard to look at him, right now.

"You were attempting to put Niklaus' soul back into his rightful body, and your friend Tyler's back into his own. You also began a protection spell- one that would keep my brother out of harms way; just in case Esther found another way to end him."

"Was I successful?" she asked lowly, and Elijah cleared his throat.

"If you hadn't been, do you believe they would have still tried to kill you, Bonnie?" he asked, and she bit her lip silently. "You... became a powerful witch, Bonnie; over the course of such a short period in time. I believe they feared that they couldn't control you, anymore."

"So, they killed me," she filled in, as her eyes began to well up again. "They killed me because I wanted to do the right thing- because I wanted to save my friends?"

"You wanted to save a murderer," he replied. "All that you did, in the end, saved Niklaus."

"I didn't do it for him!" she yelled back, as she stood her feet, with her fists tightened into balls. "I would have let him if he didn't sire their line- I wouldn't have cared-"

"But you did," Elijah interrupted, and she huffed angrily. " You saved the vampires, Bonnie; you chose your side. You didn't choose humanity."

"They wouldn't just do this to me," she said firmly, as she paced the floor. "There... there has to be a way," she added, as she searched the room for anything she could use.

She glanced at the candle of the dresser, and she quickly grabbed it, before taking a seat on the floor, and breathing deeply.

"Do you have any more of these? I need to see if I can reach them," she said, and Elijah watched on in disbelief.

"Bonnie, you're in denial-"

"Just get me all of the candles that you have, Elijah. I don't remember asking for your opinion," she shot back, and the Original narrowed his eyes. "Please," she added.

The Original let out a soft scoff before he stood to his feet, and walked out of the room, in a few seconds flat. He returned with a handful of candles, and he placed them on the floor beside her. He watched as Bonnie busily arranged them around her, and he folded his arms over his chest in intriguement.

This girl was not a quitter; she was determined to get what she wanted, when she wanted, and she was not going to back down. Normally, he would have applauded such relentless effort, but sadly, not this time.

This time, he really wanted to tell her that this was hopeless.

Elijah watched as Bonnie shut her eyes tightly, and began to chant the words in the foreign language that she knew all too well, in hopes of illuminating the candles around her, and somehow, finding a way to connect with Emily, or the other dead witches.

She was shaking, as she repeated them, continuously, and he watched on as she slowly began to crumble when she was not met with any results.

The candles remained unlit, and Bonnie inhaled deeply, as she looked at them in sheer panic; she couldn't believe this was happening.

"They won't let me reach them," she said softly, and Elijah remained stoic, as she gripped her palms around a candle, and desperately held onto it. "I-I can't feel anything," she stuttered.

He breathed in softly, and stuffed his hands in his pockets, as he watched Bonnie's face flood with a stream of water. He predicted this, as well- that she would not be able to come to terms with the fact that this was final; that the witches no longer saw it fit for her to have a life.

Bonnie slowly climbed to her feet; still holding onto the candle, and Elijah moved in closer, though he knew she didn't want to hear a word from him.

The life of his brother was the reason why she had died; his family was the reason why she was in so much grief.

"How could they?" she asked sharply, though she was hyperventilating. "How could my own family kill me?"

Elijah didn't reply, and without another word, she threw the candle, hard, at his window; causing the glass to shatter into a million pieces, before she erupted into a sob of her own.

"How could they?" she screamed, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her to contain her, as Bonnie cried uncontrollably.

"Bonnie-" he started, and she pushed him away from her arms, with a look of pure disgust on her face.

"This is all your family's fault!" she yelled, as her tears descended rapidly from her eyes. "This happened to me because of _you! _" Bonnie shouted, as she turned on her heel, and began to walk towards the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked calmly, and she laughed incredulously.

"Does it matter, Elijah? I will _never _become one of you," she shot back angrily. "I'm not feeding- I am not doing this!"

Before she could walk out, Elijah was in the doorway, again, and she was viciously pounding away at his chest, and forcibly attempting to move him out of the way.

"You said you brought me here to make my choice, and I did- let me go," Bonnie said with eyes full of rage, but he didn't budge.

"And you truly believe you've thought this through, as clearly as you can?" he asked, with a strong bite to his voice. "I won't allow you to end your life on a whim, Bonnie."

"Why not?!" she screamed back. "You got what you wanted, right? Klaus is alive- your whole family is alive- what the hell else do you need me around, for? Why do you care about saving my life?"

"Because it is what I promised you I would do," Elijah said firmly, and Bonnie immediately felt herself go speechless, as she looked into his honest eyes. "I promised you, Bonnie, that given the chance, I would save your life, as you have saved my brother's. And I intend on keeping that promise."

Bonnie remained silent, as Elijah moved in closely. She felt everything part of her being stiffen when he placed a hand to her face.

She flinched involuntarily, before letting out a shaky sigh, as his fingers caressed along her chin, and his thumb smoothed over her soft cheek. She tried not to look into his eyes, but she ultimately failed, as she felt his own charcoal orbs blazing right through her, like fire burning up her soul. She'd always found something about Elijah so commanding; something about him could either scare the life out of you, or calm you, in an incredibly amazing way, without him saying so much as a word, at all.

Right now, she felt calm.

As he gently felt her skin, and she reluctantly drowned into his eyes, she was feeling strangely at peace; and she didn't understand how he had done it, at all.

A minute ago, she was crying, and in a pretty clear fit of rage; a minute ago, she broke his fucking window.

But now? Now, she almost felt _okay. _She felt like she could breathe. And that could only mean one thing.

"You're falling, Bonnie," he said, in a voice barely above a whisper. "If you don't feed... you will be gone. Is that what you truly desire? If so... I can leave you; I will let you go, in peace."

Before Bonnie could say a word, the door flung open, and her attention was rapidly shifted to two sets of eyes; one brown, the other green, as the visitors quickly descended into the room.

"Elena? Stefan?" Bonnie asked in an airy voice, and the doppelganger erupted into a sob as she ran over to her, and threw her arms around her shoulders.

"Oh my god, Bonnie!" she cried. "We've been looking everywhere for you!" she said, as she pulled away, and wiped her eyes.

Bonnie's brows furrowed as she looked at their attire.

Elena was dressed in a long, beige, gown, decorated with stone around the waist, and sparkles at the chest. Stefan was wearing a suit, too, with a tie that matched Elena's dress, as well. She suddenly noticed the corsage on Elena's hand, and it began to trigger something.

_Prom. She was at her senior prom._

But that wasn't the only thing that triggered. The sweet smell of Elena's blood was filling the air, as the girl stood right before her, and Bonnie felt her heart race increase the moment it infiltrated her senses.

Bonnie breathed calmly, though she was becoming a bit anxious, and Stefan's eyes widened just when he realized what was happening.

"Elena, time to go," he said, as he kept his eyes on Bonnie's, that seemed to be focused on the doppelgangers neck. "Now."

Elena shook her head furiously, and grabbed Bonnie's hand.

"She has to come with us, Stefan! She can't stay here-"

"She needs to stay," Elijah cut in, but Elena gripped her tighter. "You do not see what has happened, do you, Elena?... The bloodlust... it's beginning to take over."

The brunette stood there, confused, as Bonnie's eyes met hers, and she cocked her head when she suddenly felt a growing intensity in her appearance.

"Bloodlust? Witches don't-" Elena stopped, and her eyes turned to a ghostly white as she dropped Bonnie's fingers, and began to tremble. "I-I don't... Bonnie, no. "You're not... You can't be, right?"

Bonnie remained quiet, and Stefan grabbed Elena by the hands.

"Elena, we need to go-"

"Are you in transition?" Elena asked, and Bonnie remained quiet, as she tried to focus on anything else, other than running over to Elena, and attacking her.

"Bonnie has made her decision," Elijah said flatly. "It's... best if you say goodbye," he added, and Elena's face upturned in horror at his simple words.

Bonnie didn't say a word.

Tears flooded Elena's cheeks, as she shook her head viciously. Stefan finally grabbed her around the waist, as he attempted to bring her out of the room.

"Elena-"

"No!" she shouted, as he held her, and she struggled to kick free. "No, Bonnie! Please," she cried, and Bonnie shut her eyes, as the sound of Elena's sobbing drowned against the beating of her heart. "You can't leave me!"

"I'm sorry," Bonnie said blankly. "Please, Stefan- get her out of here... Tell everyone... I said goodbye," she added, and Stefan's eyes met hers, with despair, but he nodded silently. "I just- I can't-"

"I know," he said softly. "I know."

Bonnie's lip trembled, and without another word, she watched as Stefan gave Elijah a silent glance, and the dragged a damn near kicking and screaming Elena out of his bedroom.

Bonnie held a hand to her heart as the door locked behind them, and she waited for the sound of Elena's crying to disappear from her ears.

It lingered even after she left, though.

Bonnie gulped softly, as she mindlessly sat down on the bed, and felt the water fill her eyes, once more. She never imagined that seeing Stefan or Elena would be so hard; she didn't even anticipate how difficult it'd be to say goodbye.

She eased her legs onto the bed, and lay face up, as she looked at the ceiling. Elijah continued to stand there, as he watched the water trickle down from her eyes, and onto his pillow.

He immediately felt overwhelmed with the sight, as he studied her; this eighteen year old girl, who was full of fight, and full of heart, awaiting her permanent death, as her life passed her by, too soon.

All she ever wanted to do was protect everyone. All she really wanted was to be happy.

It reminded him of his own days, as a human, before he had become a vampire. His life was all about protecting others- it always had been. His family and his friends had always been a top priority, and much like Bonnie, he never thought twice about laying his life on the line.

He believed he could help her, by at least giving her an option, but it was clear that he failed. Bonnie Bennett was going to die.

Elijah sighed gently, as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, and turned away to exit the room. The least he could do was provide her with the privacy to fade away with her decision.

"I imagine you don't want me here," he said softly. "I- respect your decision, Bonnie. I will leave you be."

Bonnie didn't respond, and Elijah slowly placed his hand on the knob to exit the room. He really didn't want to leave her, but what else could he do? He would have liked to see this play out very differently, but he could not change the past, or future.

Bonnie was in control of her own freewill.

Elijah opened the door, and he suddenly heard Bonnie's voice escape her lips, quite meekly, as it settled onto his ears.

"How long does it take... to die?"

Elijah slowly turned around, and he studied the blank expression on her face as she held onto his pillow tightly. He sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest and pursed his lips.

"It can take up to 24 hours. However... most of the time, it's sooner. Much sooner," he said gently.

Bonnie's expression didn't falter or fluctuate. She only seemed to settle in, once more, as her eyes remained focused on his. He could already see the life in her eyes beginning to leave her, with each passing moment.

"Will you stay with me... until then?" she asked, and his brows furrowed in surprise at the question that he never expected to leave her lips.

He was sure Bonnie hated him, and everyone else, for being in this situation.

She must have read the look of propensity on his face, as she immediately shook her head, and ran her hands over her flushed face. She seemed to suddenly regret it.

"I-I'm sorry, that was stupid. You don't-"

"Of course I will stay with you," Elijah interrupted, and Bonnie's expression seemed to turn to one of gratitude when the Original quietly walked back over towards the bed, and stood there for a second.

He pressed his fingers to her forehead, gently, as he felt the temperature of her skin. Bonnie's lids blinked heavily, as she looked up at him.

"Is it bad?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"Not yet."

Bonnie inhaled softly as she gradually moved over, and Elijah got into bed next to her. She hesitantly placed her head on his chest, and in return, he wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders.

She stared off at the wall for a few more moments, as the two lay there in silence. Elijah's hand involuntarily stroked at her dark brown hair, and she couldn't help but realize the calming effect that it had on her. With each stroke of his fingertips, she felt closer and closer to peace, whilst the fear began to evaporate from her bones.

She held onto him tightly- much tighter than she even conscious of- before finally looking his eyes, that had been transfixed on her, all the while.

"Why are you going through all of this trouble, for me? I find it really hard to believe that... I matter to you, Elijah."

Elijah sighed softly, but he never lifted his fingers from her hair. Instead, he held her in closer, and cleared his throat before answering.

"Because you are deserving of it, Bonnie-"

"Deserving of someone laying on my deathbed with me?"

"You're worth the trouble- you always have been. And... the thing that saddens me most, about you, is that you've never realized it; you've never realized that you deserve each and every thing that this world has to offer. Including life- your life matters, Bonnie; you have a purpose. And it isn't just to save everyone... it rings much deeper."

Bonnie laughed in disbelief at that.

"I was a witch, Elijah- it was what I was meant to do. I was meant to save people; I was supposed to be caring."

"But... you are no longer a witch, now, and... what's your excuse, now? For not caring about yourself enough to see that, perhaps, there is another way?"

Bonnie breathed in deeply at that. She didn't want to discuss this anymore- or _ever._

"I don't... want to talk about this anymore, Elijah. I just... I've made up my mind."

He didn't say a word, and Bonnie rolled away to face the other direction.

She hated that for every word she said, he had a rebuttal; for every thought that she had, he had one, too. She didn't want anyone making her second guess herself, and it seemed as though that was exactly what Elijah intended to do.

Bonnie hugged her arms around herself tightly, feeling a swarm of anger rapidly developing within her bones.

Who the hell was he to tell her what to do? He may have been living on this Earth for far too long, but that didn't mean that he knew a thing about _her. _Nobody did.

"I did not mean to upset you," Elijah said clearly. "That was never my intention."

Bonnie didn't reply to that, as she kept her eyes on his window- the curtain gently blowing with the breeze, as she attempted to clear her head.

She was dying- and she wanted to do it in peace.

After a long moment of quiet, she half-expected him to get up and leave. She expected to just give up; cut his losses, and come to terms with the fact that she didn't want to discuss her life, or lack thereof, anymore. She just wanted to sleep- float away into the empty corners of her mind, and uninhibited parts of her soul.

But he didn't leave- he didn't even make a move to.

Instead, and much to her surprise, he shifted to face her direction, and she felt his chest pressed against her back. His arms slowly held her at the waist and, without a word at all, his lips placed a firm kiss on the top of her head.. His mouth lingered there, for a moment much longer than it had to, and her skin immediately began to heat up at the motion.

Why was he doing this to her?

"You'll remember, Bonnie," he said, almost as if to answer her internal question. "You'll remember it all," Elijah whispered.

Bonnie blinked softly, but she didn't say a word. Instead, she shut her eyes, and took in a deep breath, as she prayed she would drift off into unconsciousness sooner, rather than later.

Her body felt warm, but she could begin to feel sleep settling onto her, like the way the ocean waves crashed onto the beach. It was powerful and and she was drowning, but that's all that she really wanted to do- she wanted to drown; to drift away to a moment where she'd finally be at peace.

She would have to let her end come too soon.


	2. Chapter 2

_Bonnie breathed tirelessly, as she held a glass of punch in her hand, and glanced around the room- illuminated by a string of lights that seemed to sparkle with a hint of supernatural interference._

_Her supernatural interference, to be exact, as she recalled Caroline's begs for her "witchy help to make the Mystic Falls High School gym absolutely flawless."_

_And so she complied- she did a spell, and now everything around them was glowing, as if they were up against the stars themselves. And she couldn't say this occasion wasn't worth it; it was Senior Prom, after all._

_Bonnie observed her fellow classmates in the previously drab, but now, mystical gym, as they laughed, danced, took pictures, and enjoyed what was the time of their lives; what should have been the time of hers, too._

_She was in a gorgeous, deep red ball gown that hugged her frame straight down to the hips, and flared with a burst beautiful ruffles and folds towards the end. The intricate, hand-beaded design cascaded across her chest, and down to her stomach in a completely elegant way, while the strapless factor of it all showed off her toned shoulders- making her feel as though the dress was perfectly aged and not too showy. _

_Her long, dark hair was styled by Caroline, of course, into full, voluminous curls, and her green eyes were sparkling, thanks to a tutorial in smoky eye shadow by the blonde, too._

_She was certain she caught some eyes, though; as she walked into the gym, dateless, but surrounded by friends, who all seemed to have somebody at their sides. Jeremy offered to be her date, but she declined- she was lonely, not desperate. And she sure as hell wasn't desperate enough to attend this thing with the guy who most recently tore her heart to pieces._

_So while Elena was preoccupied with Stefan, and Caroline was dealing with her weird Tyler/Klaus fusion, she was here- being lonely, and contemplating tonight's plans. Damon would be here soon to assist her, and immediately after she was done, she'd be out of here._

_She really had no interest in staying, anyway._

_When Bonnie placed her empty glass on the table behind her, she folded her arms across her chest, and inspected the room once more, as she tried to decide what would be the easiest and least noticeable form of exit strategy when she needed it. She never went anywhere without knowing her way out; the Senior Prom was no exception._

_Amid her inspection, Bonnie's eyes stopped as they settled on a figure that appeared before her, directly across the room. She inhaled slowly when the being in question glanced up at her, and gave her a look of subtle remembrance._

_Bonnie cleared her throat when she realized he was drifting towards her- in slow, quiet, and perfect calculation. She didn't make a move to run, either. What would be the point, anyway? She'd have to face him at some point, or another, so why not now? Though, she honestly would have preferred "never."_

"_If I didn't know any better, I'd say you weren't enjoying your time here, Miss Bennett."_

_She placed her hands on her hips, and shrugged silently, as she looked up onto his amused brown eyes._

"_What do you mean, Elijah? Can't you tell I'm having the time of my life?" she asked sarcastically, and the Original grinned at the brash tone in her voice. "What are you doing here?" she asked immediately, as she tried to ignore the way her eyes set gaze the handsome features of his face._

_He was decked out in some ridiculously expensive designer suit, and his caramel hair had grown slighter longer, as he slicked it back, and away from his face._

_She wasn't willing to admit it, but Elijah was definitely one of the more handsome men that she'd ever come across in her life. She may have hated him and his entire family for the big fucking inconvenience that was their existence, but that didn't mean that she didn't find him breathtakingly attractive. _

_He absolutely was- and she'd be in denial if she pretended like it wasn't true._

_Elijah cleared his throat, and extended a hand towards her, that made her eyes bug with confusion, and her brow raise with skepticism. He remained elegant, all the while._

"_Perhaps we can talk over a dance," he suggested, and Bonnie snorted at that._

"_Perhaps you can go fuck yourself," she said bluntly, and he looked amused, again. "I don't do dances," Bonnie added, in a strong tone. "I hate this entire concept, to be honest. Dressing up like we're some sort of princesses, and prancing around arrogant guys on our arms, desperately trying to portray some sort of vision- that we're perfect? It's all so shallow."_

_Elijah licked his tongue over his teeth at her brutally honest reflection on high school dances, and smiled, much to her surprise. _

"_So, that's the reason you came by your lonesome? Because you scared off any potential suitors?" he asked, and Bonnie sighed in annoyance at that._

"_If being honest 'scares' people, then, yes; I'm alone because I'm honest."_

"_I figured. I refused to believe it had anything to do with your beauty," he said suddenly, and her brows furrowed. "Forgive me for being forward, Miss Bennett, but... you are absolutely stunning."_

_Bonnie tried to find the words to say, but they got stuck in her throat when she tried to offer up a response. Elijah Mikaelson just called her stunning- nobody ever called her stunning; it just wasn't a word that people thought of to describe her, honestly._

_She felt a bit taken aback by his sudden confession. It may have weakened her defenses a bit, too._

"_Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked, in a firm tone. "Last I checked, you were completely fine with me and my mother dying to save your family."_

_Elijah nodded at that, but he didn't falter._

"_As were you; perfectly content with killing myself and the rest of my siblings, until you found out that would extinguish each and every friend that you have... Perhaps we can call ourselves 'even?'"_

"_No," she said sharply._

"_Then we will dance," he stated, rather than questioned. "I must find some way to thank you for all you have done," Elijah said, and Bonnie sighed._

_If she ran now, she'd probably make it to the exit, but not out, before he'd corner her again, and insist that she give him another shot. She really had no intentions of dancing, at all, but if he wasn't going to shut up about it, she might as well appease him. he wasn't exactly Hitler, or anything- this wouldn't lead to a crazy plan to overtake Europe._

_Bonnie finally took Elijah's hand, and he smiled with victory as he led her out onto the floor, just in time for a slow dance. _

_His hands wrapped respectfully at her waist, and she tried to control the chill that ran down her spine when she placed her arms at his shoulders- feeling the slight brush of her hands against his neck._

_She prayed this song was short._

_The two gently swayed in silence, and she observed the room, as the rest of the girls had their heads against their date's chests, and she was merely trying not to fall apart just in the presence of the man before her. She cleared her throat expectantly before looking up into his eyes. _

"_How did you end up here?" she asked. "I don't really see you as the type to come to a high school dance," Bonnie said, and Elijah bit his lip._

"_Niklaus told me," he replied, as his eyes distantly set gaze on his brother dancing with Caroline Forbes, in Tyler Lockwood's body. "He told me that you informed him that the spell to put him back into his rightful body would be cast tonight. He asked for my presence."_

"_Yeah," she replied shortly, before she let out a sigh. "It's been... complicated, trying to channel the power that I used to do it in the first place. I needed to wait for the next big 'cosmic event' to gather enough energy to do this. A.K.A- Venus crossing the face of the sun. The witches on the other side aren't making it very easy for me since I saved him and... found a way to keep Elena human," she revealed, and Elijah nodded in understanding._

"_And still, you're choosing to go through with this?"_

"_What other choice do I have, Elijah? Let Tyler be lost forever, and your brother in control of him for the rest of his life? I can't let that happen."_

"_I'm aware," Elijah replied simply, as they continued to dance. "But I also don't believe that your friend, Miss Forbes, seems to mind too much."_

_Bonnie looked over to see Caroline smiling bashfully as Klaus twirled her into his arms, and she felt her stomach turn at the grins that seemed to be plastered onto their faces. Caroline was well aware of who she was dancing with, and up until now, Bonnie believed that Caroline's acceptance of the situation was solely because she couldn't change the circumstances._

_Bonnie now believed that it went much deeper than that._

"_You feel guilty," Elijah said, in a low tone, as they continued to move. "You blame yourself for the fact that your best friend has fallen in love with my brother- my brother, who you believe is a monster."_

_Bonnie didn't respond to that, for, it was completely true. How did he even know? Was her guilt shining that brightly within her eyes?_

"_I need to fix this, because it's right," she contested. "I'm supposed to do what's right."_

"_Even if your ancestors punish you for it?"_

"_I don't care," she said plainly. "What else will they do, Elijah? Kill me?"_

_There was a silence between the two, as Elijah's eyes coupled with hers, and his hands seemed to grip her a bit tighter. She suddenly felt the air between them close in on her, as she struggled to keep track of the thoughts racing throughout her brain. _

_Just his presence was intoxicating, honestly._

"_You're brave, Bonnie Bennett," Elijah said smoothly, as she looked to the ground. "And... whatever is required of me to protect your life, I will do. I am indebted."_

_Bonnie looked up, and she saw the seriousness floating in his eyes, as the words passed his lips. he was being honest._

_Elijah wanted to protect her and it was all because she protected his brother. She went against nature, and tapped into something she shouldn't have, all for the well-being of her friends, but it protected someone that he held sacred, too._

_She helped him, and now, he would help her._

"_Well," she started, in a flat tone. "They're really not gonna be happy after tonight, so you're gonna have a lot to handle, in your hands. Are you sure you're up for that?"_

_Elijah's eyes moved slowly across her face, and she felt involuntary goosebumps rise along her skin as he moved in even closer- so close, her lips were only a breath away from his. He didn't seem to mind the close proximity, though, as he lowered his voice to a volume that dropped solely across her ears, and trickled down into her armour._

"_You have my word," Elijah breathed. "Anything, Bonnie. I will do... anything."_

_She gulped at that, but she didn't waver._

_It'd been a long time since she had someone, or anyone actually, who would do "anything" to keep her alive. This pact from Elijah was an honorable one, she could tell, as the words radiated from his skin and onto hers._

_She could just feel it- she could feel the truth within his words._

_She looked up into his eyes, and his never seemed to drop from hers, as the song continued on. She was suddenly beginning to feel like they were the only two in the room, at that very moment, and somehow, that was fine._

_She felt her fear beginning to drip away, until they were suddenly interrupted by the crass tone of none other than her least favorite blue-eyed vampire._

"_Whoa, Bennett. I didn't realized I had to call the fire department to put you out, tonight. You are smoking."_

_She turned around immediately, and flashed a displeased look at none other than Damon Salvatore, who was grinning like the annoyance that he was. His dark hair flopped above his brow, and he was clad in a leather jacket and dark blue jeans. He didn't even bother to dress up to blend in with everyone else here- he honestly didn't even care that much._

_The only reason he was here was because of Bonnie; the two had a mutual agreement that whenever shit needed to get done, they had to work together. Elena, the Martyr Princess, had the worst ideas. Stefan, the Unstable Self-Loathing Blood Junkie, was a liability, too._

_When they wanted things to work, and had to be she and him. It seemed like the only way, lately._

"_Don't be a pig," she sneered, and Damon smiled obnoxiously. "Do you have the body?"_

"_Sure thing, Zelda; one pruned up and half-burnt Original lays unconscious in Ric's old classroom as we speak. Is your celestial juju all ready to go?"_

_Bonnie sighed and nodded, as she placed her hands to her sides. _

"_Yeah, I'm ready."_

"_Don't you need Niklaus to perform the spell?" Elijah asked, and Bonnie nodded at that, as well._

"_I already gave him and Caroline the heads up, earlier. I'll text them right now to tell them where to meet us. I wanna keep Elena and Stefan out of this. The less people for the witches to get angry at, the better."_

_Damon and Elijah nodded, and the two began to follow her as they slipped out of the gym, and down the corridor towards the classroom, Bonnie huffing silently, as her mind erupted with a billion and one thoughts._

_This wasn't particularly a hard spell, but with her lack of experience and approval from the other side, they were making it so. She wasn't really trained to be a "dark witch;" these things didn't come natural to her, at all. It made her extremely nervous that, at any given time, something could go wrong. She was almost banking on it. _

"_I didn't realize you were coming, too," Damon said a bit hastily in Elijah's direction, when they finally walked into the classroom, and shut the door behind them. "Who invited you, anyway?"_

"_I did," Bonnie spoke up, much to Elijah's surprise, and Damon's dismay. "Elijah is... helpful. And he will be, just in case anything happens." _

"_Yeah, well, let's hope we won't be needing him," Damon fired back, as Bonnie began to align the candles around the room. "It'll be a bad sign if we do."_

"_Whatever may come of this, I'm here," Elijah said, and his eyes softened as they set gaze on Bonnie's. I am anticipating a battle."_

_Bonnie felt Damon's eyes immediately stabbing through her, and creating puncture wounds as the seconds rolled on. He really wasn't pleased with this, at all; he'd always been determined when it came to their plans, and he hated having anyone else join in._

_He was a bit of a hog, if she were honest._

_The door suddenly opened, and in walked Caroline, with Klaus right behind her. Once the door was locked, the blonde walked over to her in a hurry, and grabbed both her hands._

"_We got away from Stefan and Elena, but not for long. They're announcing prom king and queen, soon. Me and Klaus-" she started, and cleared her throat. "Me and Tyler are nominated. We have to work fast."_

_Bonnie breathed and nodded her head as she gestured to Klaus' inactive body on the ground._

"_Everything is all set," she said firmly, and Caroline seemed to sigh with hesitation. "Caroline-"_

"_I know," she whispered. "I'm just... a lot is in my head right now."_

"_Well, clear it," Damon ordered, as he walked up, and looked at his watch. "It's minutes to midnight, and for Bonnie to do this spell, she's gotta get it kick started right now. If you're done living in this fucked up fantasy, now, can we proceed?"_

_Caroline nodded immediately, and she nodded towards Klaus as he finally edged away from Elijah and walked over._

_Bonnie shuddered when she reminded herself that this was not Tyler. She commanded herself when she conformed to the idea that it needed to be._

"_This won't hurt, will it?" Klaus asked, as he lay down on the ground before Bonnie, and she got onto her knees. "And are you sure you know what you're doing?"_

"_I saved your life once, didn't I?" she replied. "Bastard," she muttered, before placing her hands to his chest and closing her eyes. "I know what I'm doing."_

"_Deliver me then, love," he replied. "I don't want this hair anymore."_

_Bonnie internally rolled her eyes, but breathed in deeply, before she finally found the state of mind that she needed to be in. She slowly began to relax, though the constant tapping of Damon's foot and his incessant pacing played on in the background._

_She drowned it out, though, as she began to draw on the leftover energy of the planet Venus, coupled with the sun. She needed to wait so long to do the spell because trying to harness energy from an event while it was actually in motion was very dangerous. Doing it in the same day, however, was far safer, and much easier. _

_She could easily feel the power running through her veins, and absorbing into her soul, as she planted her hands against his body, and began to chant the words that she'd spent months memorizing, from her grimoire._

_She felt his chest moving along her hands, and suddenly, the retraction of his soul, as it seeped through Tyler's body and floated, stagnant, in the air before her._

_Now, onto part two._

_Bonnie moved over towards Klaus' actual body, and pressed her hands to him, deeply. The torched, dessicated skin of the Original began to liven up, almost immediately, as the body consumed it's rightful soul, and locked, almost immediately._

_Bonnie sighed at the completion, but continued the repetitive words until she felt a twitch beneath her, at Klaus' fingertips. _

_She opened her eyes and gazed between them both, waiting for a sign that it was done._

_Damon sucked his teeth, as she stood to her feet._

"_That's it?" he asked, almost unconvinced. "No fireworks? No explosions? No-"_

_Both Tyler and Klaus shot up, in a simultaneous gasp that rendered Damon silent, and Bonnie relief when they breathed loudly, and choked in the atmosphere._

"_Tyler?" Caroline asked, as she raced to the boy, and Elijah moved towards Klaus, almost as quickly._

"_Yeah," both replied, in unison, and Damon folded his arms across his chest before looking towards Bonnie. _

"_What do you know, Judgy... You're actually quite good at this magic stuff," he said with a satisfied grin, and she couldn't help but clench her hands together in happiness that this was finally over with._

_Tyler was back, Klaus was alive, no one died, tonight. It may have been the first dance to go on record as them all surviving it._

_Caroline was hugging Tyler tightly, as simply seemed moved by the presence of his brother. Her work here was done; she couldn't have been happier._

"_Tyler, Caroline- you're nominated. You should get going," Bonnie said, and the blonde nodded quickly, before hugging her tightly, and releasing only to allow Tyler to hug her, as well._

_She knew that Caroline was confused by the switch, and falling a bit for Klaus in Tyler's body was never her intention. She just hoped that Caroline would finally begin to make sense of it all, now that Tyler was finally returned to her._

_Bonnie hoped that she did something right._

"_Well, if that's it, I'm gonna go have a few sips of that spiked punch out there, and call it a night," Damon said, as he neared the door. "Good job, Witchy."_

"_Thanks," Bonnie breathed, as he left, and she realized she was left in the room with only Klaus and Elijah._

_Normally, this type of thing would have frightened her, but it didn't today. Klaus was staring at her with actual gratitude, and Elijah, in admiration. She'd never felt so appreciated for anything in her entire life. It was definitely grounding._

"_One more thing," she said, as she neared Klaus, and took his hands into her own, closing her eyes again, and beginning the words of another spell she recognized, instantly. _

_She pressed on, until she could feel somewhat of a force field bouncing off of his skin, onto hers._

"_Just in case Esther tries, again," she said, and Klaus's brows scrunched. "You'll survive that, too."_

"_Thank you," Klaus said simply, as his blue eyes met hers, in a strong stare. "I really do appreciate what you have done," he added, and Bonnie nodded coolly, though she felt a sudden shift in the dynamic._

_Klaus had went from doubting her to actually believing in her, and pretending like that meant nothing would have been a lie. It wasn't like she needed his stamp of approval to believe in herself or her powers, but it was nice to finally have him admit it- she wasn't as weak as he liked to pretend that she was._

"_You're welcome," she said firmly, and she watched as Klaus neared the door to exit, as well._

"_Elijah?" he asked._

"_Grant me a moment alone with Miss Bennett, Niklaus," Elijah answered, and his brother nodded before venturing out of the room, and locking the door behind him._

_Bonnie felt her bones shaking when his eyes looked into hers, and his hand captivated her face. She stood frozen when his thumb moved along her jaw, and he closed in on her, again, barely giving her enough space to think._

"_I am... especially grateful for this, Bonnie," Elijah spoke softly, and she bit her lip. "And my... proposal to protect you does not end here. It is a promise that I swear to uphold."_

_Bonnie began to shake her head, as she opened her mouth._

"_You don't-"_

"_I do," he interrupted. "I... absolutely do need to do this."_

_She almost lost her breath when she slowly felt his lips pressed to hers, in a sweet kiss that immediately made her feel as though she was made of jelly._

_Elijah's soft lips created this feeling- almost like a buzz- within her veins, and she quickly realized that she was kissing him back; she actually kissed him back._

_When their lips parted, he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and a dazed Bonnie struggled to stand upright, as she tried to filter the feeling behind his charismatic eyes._

_She almost gasped when his mouth lingered next to her ear, and spoke gentle words onto her lobe, that infiltrated into her brain._

"_You deserve to be the prom queen," he said, as his lips brushed against her neck, and he finally took a step back. "Enjoy the rest of your night, Bonnie. It was... enchanting to meet you, again."_

_Bonnie began to fumble for a response, but she stopped herself, instead. _

_There was no use saying anything; she couldn't, anyway._

_Elijah had reluctantly taken her breath away, and if she had the power to frame this feeling, she would. She didn't believe she'd ever feel this way again, to be honest, but somehow, that was okay._

_Just as long as she had felt it- truly experienced this- she was satisfied. If it was the last thing she ever felt, she could have died happily. She could have died, based on just this euphoria._

_She began to walk towards the door, when she suddenly felt a shot of pain searing through her lungs. Bonnie stopped in her tracks as it rapidly multiplied, and she coughed harshly, as she placed a hand to her heart._

_What the hell was happening?_

"_Bonnie?" Elijah asked, as he spun around, removing his hand from the door knob. "Is everything alright?"_

"_I-" she started, suddenly finding it harder to breathe, and his brows furrowed when she placed a hand against the desk, to stand. _

_She collapsed, a split second later, and Elijah ran in front of her, as she lay on the ground, blankly._

_She began to recognize the familiar taste of copper between her lips, and Elijah had a look of deep concern on her face._

_This could not be good._

"_You're pale," he said softly, as he watched the maturation of the color in her skin beginning to fade, and her eyes staring off distantly. "Bonnie, can you still hear me?"_

"_The witches," she said tightly, and his expression turned dire. "I can hear them- they're upset."_

"_Shall I get your friends-"_

"_I don't want to be alone," she replied softly, and Elijah's expression deepened. "Don't-"_

"_I won't," he promised, as he held onto her hand tightly, and she felt relief. "I won't go." _

_Bonnie nodded silently, as she attempted to sit up._

_She needed to figure out some way to protect herself, and her best option was a spell._

_But with each mumble and each breath, she felt shockwaves barrel through her, until she screamed so loudly in pain, Elijah looked frightened. He helped the girl gather to her feet, and without a second thought, guided her towards the door._

_He didn't know what they were going to do, but he needed to do something. And sitting here, as she bled out was not an option._

"_It's like- like they're ripping me apart from the inside," she confessed, and Elijah continued to walk her to the door._

_It was much to his dismay, however, when he tried to pull it open, but he realized that they were trapped on the inside._

"_How convenient," he muttered, before looking above him, and shaking his head. "She's one of your own," he stated, as Bonnie's trembling only began to increase. "Ayanna, I know that you hear me."_

_Bonnie was suddenly ripped from his arms, and thrown hard against the wall, across the room. Elijah's face turned with shock, as Bonnie lay nearly unconscious, and continued to breathe with pain._

"_They're pushing back," she said, and he watched as tears filled her eyes. "She's trying, but Esther- she's not listening. Ayanna, and Emily, and Grams... they're trying. But I-I can't-"_

"_You must," Elijah nodded, as he kneel before her. "You have to hold on," he encouraged, as he watched the gruesome sight of Bonnie's skin becoming so transparent, her veins began to show through._

_He had to act fast._

"_Do you trust me?" Elijah asked, and Bonnie glanced at him hesitantly. "Because there is only one thing that I believe I can do, but i need to know that it's okay."_

_Bonnie inhaled, and nodded silently. Elijah instantly bit into his wrist, and she squirmed uncomfortably as she watched the blood dripping down his ivory skin. _

_She knew exactly where he was going with this, and she was terrified. But if vampire blood was the cure right now, she would take it. She would do anything not to die like this._

"_Bonnie-" he started, and she pulled his wrist to her lips, silently gulping in the contents as he breathed evenly. _

_With her lips wrapped around his skin, and the red liquid flowing down her chin, she was beginning to feel relief. So much so, that she was afraid to back away- she was afraid to stop._

_Bonnie finally tore her lips away, and gulped heavily as her eyes opened a bit wider, and Elijah cradled her tighter. The blood in her veins immediately began to battle against the fire of the magic, and she was feeling supremely conflicted._

_When the pain began to fade, however, she felt herself release the tenseness in her muscles. Elijah's hope didn't seem renewed, however, and she couldn't understand why._

_Happiness did not cross his face._

"_I feel- I feel okay," she reassured, and he remained silent as he placed a hand to her chest. "What... what's wrong?" she asked, feeling strangely detached, as his somber expression grew, and he lifted the palm that formerly rest on her chest to show that it was covered in blood._

_Bonnie didn't have enough feeling in her legs to react._

_And suddenly, it all faded to black._

Bonnie's eyes shot open, and she gasped when she placed a hand against her chest, and tried to breathe normally.

Was that just a dream, or was she recollecting her memories?

When she looked beside her, and saw Elijah still laying there, she realized that it wasn't just a dream. This was reality, and she was still going to die.

She had no other opportunity to live.

Bonnie shuffled out of his bed, and glanced at the clock on the wall, in panic.

It had already almost been 24 hours since he gave her his blood, and it was coming down to the wire. With every tick of the minute hand, she felt her death approaching- she felt her life becoming non-existent.

"You still have time," she heard, and she shot a glance to the bed, where Elijah was now fully awake, and glancing at her, silently. "You still... have a chance to accept."

Bonnie ran her tongue over her mouth, feeling the anxiousness growing in her bones as she gazed at finally got out of the bed, and approached her in a careful manner, and she wiped her eyes, and pressed her finger to her temples.

It felt like her head was going to explode.

"I remember," she said quietly, as she stood there. "I remember them hurting me, and you staying. Y-You tried to get Ayanna-"

"And I couldn't," Elijah said softly, as he continued to move in. "I failed you, Bonnie Bennett. I... am sorry I couldn't do more."

Bonnie's troubled expression remained, as she glanced at the clock, and back at him.

It was literally down to _minutes _at this point, and she could feel the collapsing of her veins beginning, the longer she stood here.

"I'm starving," she admitted, and Elijah's lips pursed. "Why am I so hungry?"

"It's your body's reaction to the transition, Bonnie. The only way to quench it is to... feed. If you don't," he started and stopped.

She seemed to be shivering, as her eyes met his erratically. He didn't have to say any more.

"You kissed me," Bonnie said, and Elijah's eyes dropped. "Why did you do that? You don't even know me-"

"I know you, Bonnie," he said, and she huffed anxiously. "I know very well the type of being that you are," Elijah said, as he moved in closer. "You're... strong, Bonnie. And brave- you're very brave. You're selfless, and you take things and people for how they are- not how you wish them to be. But it doesn't mean that you're not a dreamer, too; you have so many hopes and dreams. Dreams you will never get to see if you let yourself die, now."

Bonnie fidgeted at her hands, and Elijah grabbed them tightly. She felt a spark tingle through her fingers as he looked at her.

"Live, Bonnie. This is the first page to the rest of your life. Not where your story should end."

Bonnie felt her eyes fill with tears as Elijah's hands smoothed up to her face. They held her there for a moment, as she recollected each and every thing on her mind. From Elijah's kindness to her death, she felt overwhelmed by the thoughts that plagued her head.

She believed the hardest thing to come to terms with was that she wasn't anything, right now. She wasn't a witch, or a vampire, as she lay on the grass in the in-between.

She always thought that this was where she wanted to be- a mere human, with a choice, and no supernatural adversary to overcome. She always believed that she would find happiness there.

But now, as she stand before Elijah, she felt empty. She had no magic in her veins, and the nagging feeling that her body was pushing forward was exhausting. Even more tiring was how unresolved she was feeling about _him._

As he ran his hand through his ruffled chestnut hair, and peered into his charcoal, she was beginning to feel a sense of urgency.

Like her body was _telling_ her not to let this go, though, she honestly wanted to. She wanted to, so badly.

But she also wanted to hold on- she wanted to hold onto _him, _so tightly, recognizing her worth. For realizing she was strong, but not so strong that she could do this all on her own.

She needed someone, and whether she wanted to admit it or not, it was the truth.

And right now, she needed him- _she needed her messiah._

Bonnie shut her eyes, and the smell of blood filled the room, as her sense picked up on the glass that sat full of it on his end table. The sweet aroma was pouring into her soul, and before she knew, she was past Elijah, and gazing at it; enamored by the fact that she could crave something so much.

She picked up the glass, with shaky hands, and Elijah watched on just a few feet away, as Bonnie battled her indecision.

_To drink or not to drink?_

He didn't say a word as she contemplated her answer. he wanted this decision to be hers, and hers alone. And while yes, he hoped that he greatly influenced her want to live, in the end, it was up to her.

_In the end, he would let this be her call._

Bonnie turned to face him, the glass still in hand, and her labored breathing seemed to only grow with each second. The ticking of the clock felt like it sped up too, until she finally placed it to her lips, and nodded her head.

Elijah almost jumped out of his skin as he watched her- tipping the glass back, and letting the blood flow onto her lips. He sighed as Bonnie shut her eyes, and the bliss that ran through her was incredible. It almost felt like a rebirth, to be honest, as the blood seeped against her tongue, and trickled down her throat.

When she finished the glass, she felt the inevitable red veins peeking through at her eyes, and the unforgettable taste stinging against her lips. She looked up at Elijah, and he quietly inched towards her, when she placed the empty glass on the table.

Bonnie patted her fingers against the veins at her eyes, and ran her finger beneath her teeth. The fangs had not come in yet, and that was the worst part. But for now, she was okay.

She successfully completed the transition.

"I-I look-"

"Beautiful," he continued and her lips tightened. "Vampirism may take away or heighten many of things about you, Bonnie. But your beauty... it will always be a part of who you are. On the inside, and out."

Bonnie couldn't help but catch herself staring at the perfection in his eyes as he stared back at her.

He was right about everything being heightened. She could hear, smell, and feel things that she hadn't felt before, as a witch, and it was astounding.

Being a witch meant that she was always connected to life; nature was a part of her, and all things breathing were, too. But now as a vampire; she was experiencing the other side.

The side of emotion, consumption, and boundless energy that being a witch forbade her from tapping into.

She was dead, but she felt alive, again. Even more than ever before.

Elijah was staring at her carefully- as though she were a strong, but delicate thing, and she couldn't help but feel intrigued by that. She figured the intensity in his gaze was because he was her sire, and now responsible for her.

_Why else would he be looking at her that way?_

"We should get you more blood," Elijah said, as he began to turn away. "And prepare you for the full transition- the painful parts. And I must find a witch to create a ring-" he started, only to be stopped when she grabbed his hand.

Elijah felt himself immediately catch his breath when her fingers moved along his, and he instantly recognized the feeling that was shared between them. It was a though she was a part of him; as if he knew her for years- centuries, even- and she felt a spring of happiness drip into her soul.

She may not have been a witch anymore, but when she touched him, she felt magic. The kind of magic that you didn't need spells, grimoires, and candles to create- the kind of magic that went unexplained, and couldn't be explained by sorcery or science.

Bonnie almost felt out of her body as she pulled him in, and placed a gentle kiss to his unsuspecting lips.

Elijah pulled away, and shook his head, though he seemed flushed at the face just by her simple movement.

"Your emotions, Bonnie. I'm afraid they are heightened. You don't know what you're feeling-"

"But I know what I wanna feel," she cut in, and Elijah's eyebrows furrowed. "I... want to feel the way I did last night, when you kissed me. I want... to feel like once kiss can change everything, Elijah, because it did. _You did._"

Elijah stood quietly, and Bonnie's hands brushed along his face, as her eyes glowed.

The newly turned vampire was staring at him with so much strength and resolve, it almost made his thousand year old heart burst. He hadn't remembered what it was like to feel this way- to feel as though you were the one that kept somebody going. He didn't remember what it was like to feel so connected or destined to do something, as he did when he saw Bonnie.

_He didn't remember what it was like to throw it all away to reckless abandon, and just live. He hadn't lived in far too long._

Elijah's lips crashed against hers, and he moaned when he tasted the blood that stained her mouth only moments before. With her back against the wall, and his chest pressed firmly to hers, he was beginning to feel alive, again- he was truly starting to feel awakened.

She pulled her mouth away, and he breathed tirelessly as she ran her fingers through his hair, and spoke onto his lips.

"Thank you," she whispered, in a soft tone. "Thank you for giving me a choice."

She knew she was being overly emotional, but she couldn't help it. With her feelings raging out of control right now, everything was changing and constantly barreling down on her, all at once.

"It's what I promised to do," he said gently. "I'm not ready to see your end, Bonnie. And I hope that I've convinced you that it isn't over. It's... only beginning."

Bonnie nodded quietly, though those words shook her.

It wasn't the end; this was only the beginning. But, of what? Would she even know how to properly be a vampire?

She soon forgot her question when she looked up into his eyes, and his hand tucked back a strand of her wavy brown hair.. She immediately felt secure.

With each look into his eyes, she felt okay; she felt like she could survive this all because he projected that she could. He was her stabilizer; her connection to Elijah was her anchor.

_And if this was just the beginning, as he said, she couldn't wait to see how the story would unfold._


End file.
